Li Zhong (Water Margin)
| Li Zhong | |
|---|---|
| Water Margin character | |
| First appearance | Chapter 3 |
| Nickname | "Tiger Slaying General" 打虎將 |
| Rank | 86th, Remote Star (地僻星) of the 72 Earthly Fiends |
| Infantry leader of Liangshan | |
| Origin | Medicine peddler |
| Ancestral home / Place of origin | Haozhou (around present-day Bengbu and Chuzhou, Anhui) |
| Names | |
| Simplified Chinese | 李忠 |
| Traditional Chinese | 李忠 |
| Pinyin | Lǐ Zhōng |
| Wade–Giles | Li Chung |
Li Zhong is a fictional character in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 86th of the 108 Liangshan heroes and 50th of the 72 Earthly Fiends. He is nicknamed "Tiger Slaying General".
Li Zhong is from Haozhou (濠州; around present-day Bengbu and Chuzhou, Anhui). He earns a living as a medicine peddler by performing martial arts and physical feats on the streets to promote the drugs he sells. He is nicknamed "Tiger Slaying General" for his strong and muscular physique. He also instructed Shi Jin in martial arts before.
Li Zhong meets Shi Jin again in Weizhou (渭州; around present-day Pingliang, Gansu) after Shi left home. They are joined by Lu Zhishen (then known as Lu Da) while having drinks in a tavern. Lu Da kills Butcher Zheng, a bully in Weizhou, and goes on the run from the authorities. He finally settles down in a monastery on Mount Wutai, becomes a monk, and is renamed to "Lu Zhishen".
In the meantime, Li Zhong leaves Weizhou after parting ways with Shi Jin and passes by Mount Peach Blossom (桃花山), where he encounters Zhou Tong, the chief of a group of bandits based on the mountain. Zhou Tong attacks Li Zhong and tries to rob him, but is defeated in a fight by Li. Zhou Tong is impressed with Li Zhong's skill that he invites Li to join the gang and offers his position as chief to Li. Li Zhong agrees and becomes the new chief of the bandit gang.
Around the time, Lu Zhishen is expelled from the monastery after causing havoc. He makes his way to Dongjing (東京; present-day Kaifeng, Henan) and passes by Mount Peach Blossom along the way. He takes shelter in a manor near the mountain but is warmly received by Squire Liu, the manor's master. Squire Liu tells Lu Zhishen that Zhou Tong is coming to the manor that night to marry his daughter, even though he is unwilling to let his daughter marry Zhou. Lu Zhishen agrees to help Squire Liu. He hides in the bride's room, ambushes Zhou Tong in the dark when he shows up, and gives him a good beating.
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